Big Society? Hebden Bridge has shown how that works for years

The Northerner's monthly bulletin from the Pennine Shangri-la sees
Jill Robinson rushing from zumba classes to dancing for world peace. Now we just need someone else to cover the town's regular men's breakfast.

Hebden Bridge needed no prompting to join the so-called Big Society – it was already a fully paid-up member.

The strength of the voluntary sector in the town is amply demonstrated by the plethora of clubs, groups, societies and courses available, catering for just about every interest, from music of all types, am-dram, art, craft, dance, photography, sport, politics, cooking, gardening, astronomy, story-telling, conservation, history, mystery and alternative healing, to the Tolkien readers' group, knitting circle, women's discos, men's breakfasts, and the Steiner education group. So much is happening on every day of the week that local people are spoilt for choice.

For example, on Thursdays you could choose to sing with the Community Choir, attend a zumba class, practise Tibetan yoga or Pilates, meditation or French conversation, go to a quiz night or do dances of universal peace; all are available on the doorstep. Then there are the committees supporting various specific events, such as the Handmade Parade, the summer Arts Festival, the World Dock Pudding Championships, the Mytholmroyd Gala, and the November Charity Bonfire, all working away quietly throughout the year to ensure the success of their particular event.

Hebden Bridge interior. Photograph: Rachael Smith

As well as groups pursuing established interests, Hebden Royd residents have demonstrated an admirable capacity to quickly get together to create new ones should the need suddenly arise. A community association was rapidly formed at Scout Road in nearby Mytholmroyd, when the local Methodist cricket club was selling its ground, threatening an important piece of green space.

Most houses in the area are former mill-workers' terraced cottages, built closely together on steep hillsides, and in such streets gardens are something of a rarity, so a flat open space such as the cricket pitch and adjoining play area was a valuable community asset. People gave whatever they could afford to successfully secure the site, while the community association quickly applied for lottery and other grants to modernise the play equipment and develop a community garden.

Another rallying round occurred when Hebden Bridge Community Association obtained an asset transfer of the former Town Hall building, which is now being extensively re-developed to include a Creative Quarter, with its own website and blog. And the ability of Upper Valley people to respond in an emergency was again demonstrated when the community raised thousands of pounds within a few days in order to repatriate the body of a young local woman who had died in unexplained circumstances in Singapore. The proceeds from quickly arranged fund-raising events and donations ensured that her sisters could travel to the Far East to make arrangements.

Hebden Bridge is a small town with a big heart - only last week, the local Churches Together group stepped forward to save the town's annual Children's Christmas Toy Appeal, which has benefitted nearly 3,000 families during the 18 years it has been in operation. The project was in danger of folding because the Ground Floor centre, which has co-ordinated the appeal since its inception, has this year been obliged to reduce staff numbers as a result of local council funding cuts.

Thankfully, altruism is alive and well and flourishing in the Upper Calder Valley. Just one question – does the free jam afternoon advertised for Sunday 27th at the 'Hole In The Wall' involve cookery or music? Perhaps I'd better go along and find out, taking both my apron and a musical instrument, just to be on the safe side...